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The Party of No votes No on itself

Today America’s “Party of No” didn’t have the votes to vote Yes on its own bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. After consulting with the President, Speaker Ryan “pulled” its own health care bill.

During the Obama Administration the Republican Party voted repeatedly to repeal The Affordable Care Act, called pejoratively “Obamacare”. But in 2017, holding majorities in the House and Senate and occupying the White House, “The Party of No” couldn’t agree to say Yes to its own health care bill.

Saying Yes is harder than saying No. Governing is hard! So…instead of working in a bipartisan way to improve the Affordable Care Act, they’re going to “let Obamacare explode,” said President Trump, while magnanimously declaring that “some Democrats are good people.”

14 thoughts on “The Party of No votes No on itself”

I have been listening to MSNBC this evening. Michael Moore, and, I think, one other guest commentator, said we cannot, must not believe everything is fine now. If we are not vigilant and if we fail to continue maximum pressure, it will be easy for Republicans to “implode” Obamacare by starving it of funds via tax bills, or other funding measures.

Michael Moore recommended beginning a real, down to earth fight for what every other civilized democracy in the world has — single payer insurance for all. (And, of course, they have far better outcomes for far less expense than we do.). In any case, I certainly hope that the huge number of people who fought for this don’t seriously underestimate the Republicans and think (as the old hymn says in a completely different context) “Alleluia! Alleluia! The fight is o’er, the battle won.”

I wish this weren’t so but I know it is. Michael Moore is a man for our time, dare I say, a kind of Old Testament prophet who speaks unvarnished truth to power.

The Party of No will move forward now with a new kind of unanimity to reform the tax code, and there will be no stopping it until there is a huge reaction in the 2018 election. In the meantime . . . . My question is HOW to engage in a “real, down to earth fight for . . . single payer. Only after the resurrection can we sing “The strife is o’er, the battle won.”

I must have been half dead when I wrote this. One sentence makes absolutely no sense until one removes two words, and, maybe, adds two. Please revise, mentally, my second sentence thusly: “If we are not vigilant and if we fail to continue maximum pressure…”

Yes, a Whiz Kid! A member of the 1950 Phillies. Was telling the story last night of your Dad holding me upside down by my ankles in the 3rd grade Sunday School Class and the gift he gave the class of a day at Shea Stadium. Great memories.

I had to write something about this too. I’d just hit publish at my little corner of Medium, when I checked my email and found this from you. I can’t help feeling grateful to all the people who spoke out at town halls and such. Vocal voters who understood what was what, must have helped with this vote. I so hope this is true.

You’re right! There’s nothing so powerful as “no.” I used to find ways to demonstrate that in my groups back in Connecticut. For example, assign one person to lie down on the floor and refuse to get up.

We do live in interesting times. I think I’m becoming a news junkie — so much action!

Right now, in working on “My Father’s House,” President Roosevelt, who is about to be elected to an unprecedented third term, has initiated the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940.